Patents by Inventor Christopher A. Howell

Christopher A. Howell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12206652
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques for storing encrypted files in a secure file repository and transferring those encrypted files to one or more recipients. A user selects a file to upload to a secure file repository. A secure collaboration app on the user's device generates a first encryption key that is used to encrypt the file. The encrypted file is then uploaded to the secure file repository, which provides the secure collaboration app with a random file name and a location of the encrypted file. The secure collaboration app updates locally stored metadata of the first encrypted file. To securely transfer the file, the user generates a second encryption key, encrypts the metadata with the second encryption key, and transmits the encrypted metadata to one or more receivers. The one or more receivers decrypt the encrypted metadata and use the decrypted metadata to retrieve the file and decrypt it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest W. Grzybowski, Christopher A. Howell, Thomas Michael Leavy, David A. Sugar, Dipakkumar R. Kasabwala
  • Patent number: 11924361
    Abstract: Determining whether to allow access to a message is disclosed. A message is received from a sender. The message is associated with a first time-to-live (TTL) value. A determination is made that the first time-to-live value has not been exceeded. The determination is made at least in part by obtaining an external master clock time. In response to the determination, access is allowed to the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Christopher A. Howell, Kara Lynn Coppa
  • Patent number: 11757652
    Abstract: A decentralized system for securely registering, updating, and/or resolving domain names in a distributed ledger is disclosed. The distributed ledger may comprise a smart contract that includes a look-up table that maps network names to network addresses and/or one or more keys. The smart contract may verify whether any updates and/or changes made to an entry in the look-up table are cryptographically authorized. Additionally, the smart contract may enforce any additional policies implemented by a domain administrator for authenticating changes and/or updates to a domain name entry. The unique combination of storing domain information in a decentralized ledger and validating changes and/or updates to the domain information provides a decentralized root of trust that allows for secure queries of network names (e.g., domain name) for secure cross-entity communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: WICKR INC.
    Inventors: Joël Alwen, Thomas Michael Leavy, Christopher A. Howell
  • Patent number: 11509488
    Abstract: Determining whether to allow access to a message is disclosed. A message is received from a sender. The message is associated with a first time-to-live (TTL) value. A determination is made that the first time-to-live value has not been exceeded. The determination is made at least in part by obtaining an external master clock time. In response to the determination, access is allowed to the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Christopher A. Howell, Kara Lynn Coppa
  • Patent number: 11405370
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques for storing encrypted files in a secure file repository and transferring those encrypted files to one or more recipients. A user selects a file to upload to a secure file repository. A secure collaboration app on the user's device generates a first encryption key that is used to encrypt the file. The encrypted file is then uploaded to the secure file repository, which provides the secure collaboration app with a random file name and a location of the encrypted file. The secure collaboration app updates locally stored metadata of the first encrypted file. To securely transfer the file, the user generates a second encryption key, encrypts the metadata with the second encryption key, and transmits the encrypted metadata to one or more receivers. The one or more receivers decrypt the encrypted metadata and use the decrypted metadata to retrieve the file and decrypt it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest W. Grzybowski, Christopher A. Howell, Thomas Michael Leavy, David A. Sugar, Dipakkumar R. Kasabwala
  • Publication number: 20220103370
    Abstract: A decentralized system for securely registering, updating, and/or resolving domain names in a distributed ledger is disclosed. The distributed ledger may comprise a smart contract that includes a look-up table that maps network names to network addresses and/or one or more keys. The smart contract may verify whether any updates and/or changes made to an entry in the look-up table are cryptographically authorized. Additionally, the smart contract may enforce any additional policies implemented by a domain administrator for authenticating changes and/or updates to a domain name entry. The unique combination of storing domain information in a decentralized ledger and validating changes and/or updates to the domain information provides a decentralized root of trust that allows for secure queries of network names (e.g., domain name) for secure cross-entity communications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: Wickr Inc.
    Inventors: Joël Alwen, Thomas Michael Leavy, Christopher A. Howell
  • Publication number: 20220006659
    Abstract: Determining whether to allow access to a message is disclosed. A message is received from a sender. The message is associated with a first time-to-live (TTL) value. A determination is made that the first time-to-live value has not been exceeded. The determination is made at least in part by obtaining an external master clock time. In response to the determination, access is allowed to the message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Christopher A. Howell, Kara Lynn Coppa
  • Patent number: 11159310
    Abstract: A digital security bubble encapsulation is disclosed. A public key and a device identifier of at least one recipient is requested from a first server. A message containing one or more components is encrypted using a symmetric key. The symmetric key is encrypted with a public key received in response to the request. The encrypted message, the encrypted symmetric key, and the device identifier are encapsulated in a digital security bubble encapsulation. The digital security bubble encapsulation is transmitted to a second server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher A. Howell, Robert Statica, Kara Lynn Coppa
  • Patent number: 11025440
    Abstract: Determining whether to allow access to a message is disclosed. A message is received from a sender. The message is associated with a first time-to-live (TTL) value. A determination is made that the first time-to-live value has not been exceeded. The determination is made at least in part by obtaining an external master clock time. In response to the determination, access is allowed to the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Wickr Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Christopher A. Howell, Kara Lynn Coppa
  • Publication number: 20210144117
    Abstract: Secure directory services are disclosed. A cryptographic hash of a foreign identifier associated with a potential user is received. A determination is made that the received cryptographic hash of the foreign identifier matches a representation of a stored entry. In response to the determination, a transmission of a representation of a native identifier associated with the stored entry is transmitted to the sender of the cryptographic hash of the foreign identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher A. Howell, Robert Statica, Kara Lynn Coppa
  • Publication number: 20200162440
    Abstract: A digital security bubble encapsulation is disclosed. A public key and a device identifier of at least one recipient is requested from a first server. A message containing one or more components is encrypted using a symmetric key. The symmetric key is encrypted with a public key received in response to the request. The encrypted message, the encrypted symmetric key, and the device identifier are encapsulated in a digital security bubble encapsulation. The digital security bubble encapsulation is transmitted to a second server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher A. Howell, Robert Statica, Kara Lynn Coppa
  • Publication number: 20200137032
    Abstract: Determining whether to allow access to a message is disclosed. A message is received from a sender. The message is associated with a first time-to-live (TTL) value. A determination is made that the first time-to-live value has not been exceeded. The determination is made at least in part by obtaining an external master clock time. In response to the determination, access is allowed to the message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Christopher A. Howell, Kara Lynn Coppa
  • Patent number: 10567349
    Abstract: Determining whether to allow access to a message is disclosed. A message is received from a sender. The message is associated with a first time-to-live (TTL) value. A determination is made that the first time-to-live value has not been exceeded. The determination is made at least in part by obtaining an external master clock time. In response to the determination, access is allowed to the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Wickr Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Christopher A. Howell, Kara Lynn Coppa
  • Patent number: 10396982
    Abstract: An indication is received from a server that a first pool of public keys should be transmitted to a server. At least one public-private keypair is generated in response to the received indication. The public key portion of the generated keypair is transmitted to the server. A subsequent indication is received from the server that an additional public key should be transmitted to the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Wickr Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Christopher A. Howell
  • Patent number: 10382197
    Abstract: A first public key associated with a first recipient is requested from a server. The first public key is received, as is an associated first key reference value. The first public key is used in conjunction with securing a first message. The first public key is destroyed. A second public key associated with the first recipient is requested from the server. A second public key and an associated second key reference value are received. The second public key is different from the first public key and the first key reference value is different from the second key reference value. The second public key is used in conjunction with the securing of a second message and the second public key is destroyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Wickr Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Christopher A. Howell
  • Patent number: 10320560
    Abstract: An indication is received from a server that a first pool of public keys should be transmitted to a server. At least one public-private keypair is generated in response to the received indication. The public key portion of the generated keypair is transmitted to the server. A subsequent indication is received from the server that an additional public key should be transmitted to the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Wickr Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Christopher A. Howell
  • Publication number: 20180367507
    Abstract: Determining whether to allow access to a message is disclosed. A message is received from a sender. The message is associated with a first time-to-live (TTL) value. A determination is made that the first time-to-live value has not been exceeded. The determination is made at least in part by obtaining an external master clock time. In response to the determination, access is allowed to the message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Christopher A. Howell, Kara Lynn Coppa
  • Patent number: 10129260
    Abstract: Determining whether a message should be allowed to be sent is determined. A request to send a message to a recipient is received from a sender's client device. A determination is made at a server as to whether the sender is allowed to send the message to the recipient, based on a privacy list. A response to the sender is sent, based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Wickr Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Christopher A. Howell, Kara Lynn Coppa
  • Patent number: 9876772
    Abstract: A message having at least one intended recipient is encrypted using a first key. The first key is encrypted with a second key associated with the recipient. At least two of the encrypted message, the encrypted first key, and an identifier associated with the at least one recipient are encapsulated in a secure communication protocol encapsulation. The secure communication protocol encapsulation is transmitted to a server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Wickr Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Kara Lynn Coppa, Christopher A. Howell
  • Patent number: 9866591
    Abstract: A secure messaging platform for an enterprise environment is disclosed. The secure messaging platform enables users to exchange encrypted communications. Further, the secure messaging platform allows enterprise platforms to review the encrypted communications to ensure that they comply with company policies. Messages that comply with company policies may be provided to their intended recipients, while messages that fail to comply with company policies are not provided to their intended recipients. Additionally, the encrypted communications may be retained for a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Wickr Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Statica, Christopher A. Howell, Kara Lynn Coppa